The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has strongly condemned the recent killings in Umualuaku community, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, distancing itself and its security wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), from the violent attack.

 

Gunmen reportedly stormed the community early Wednesday morning, opening fire indiscriminately and leaving multiple people dead. The attack, which lasted several hours, forced residents to remain indoors in fear.

 

Following the incident, the Imo State Police Command, through its spokesperson, ASP Henry Okoye, alleged that the attackers were suspected members of IPOB and ESN.

 

However, in a statement released on Saturday, IPOB’s spokesperson, Comrade Emma Powerful, rejected the claims, calling them “baseless, politically motivated, and part of a recurring state-sponsored smear campaign” against the pro-Biafra movement.

 

“This is a tired, manufactured narrative that now serves as a wicked cover for state-sanctioned mass murder and political manipulation,” the statement read.

 

 

 

“A Pattern of Targeted Violence” — IPOB Claims

 

IPOB alleged that the timing of the attack aligns with what it describes as a pattern of government-orchestrated violence intended to distract from ongoing legal efforts to secure the release of its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

 

“Each time legal arguments for the release of our leader gain momentum, the Nigerian state resorts to violence and bloodshed in the Southeast to criminalize our struggle,” Powerful said.

 

 

 

He further accused unnamed elements within the Nigerian security forces of acting as “fifth columnists”—agents allegedly embedded to frame IPOB and discredit its cause.

 

The group also criticized Southeast political leaders, accusing them of betrayal and complicity in the violence.

 

“How long will you mortgage the blood of your people for a seat at the table of oppression?” the statement asked. “Is it Nnamdi Kanu’s popularity that threatens you so much?”

 

 

 

Call for Evidence and Justice

 

IPOB challenged the Nigerian Police to provide concrete evidence in a court of law, rather than issuing accusations through press releases. The group also reaffirmed its commitment to non-violent agitation for Biafran self-determination and vowed to continue pushing for justice.

 

“Let it be known to the world: IPOB is not responsible for the killings in Mbano or anywhere else,” the group said. “Every act of repression only strengthens our resolve.”

 

 

 

As the Mbano killings continue to draw national attention and local grief, IPOB called on the international community to take note of what it claims is a coordinated campaign of false-flag violence and judicial abuse targeted at its members and leadership.